Kenneth J. Graner, chair, is currently the branch president for Associated Bank in Lanesboro and has been for the past 15 years. He served on the steering committee for the original Lanesboro Area Association of Commerce, Tourism, and Agriculture, now the Lanesboro Chamber of Commerce, and served as its first treasurer. His interest in serving on the Economic Development Authority Board grows out of his strong commitment to the growth and development of Lanesboro as a vibrant, successful community.

Hal Cropp, is the Artistic Director of the Commonweal Theatre Company. He has served as Lanesboro City Councilperson, president of the Lanesboro Area Chamber of Commerce, president of the Southeastern Minnesota Arts Council, and on the board of Minnesota Citizens for the Arts. His interest in serving on the Economic Development Authority Board stems from his belief that a strong Lanesboro is possible only through a healthy, diverse, and vital economic sector.

Fred Kiel, is a Lanesboro Community business owner and resident. He and his wife, Sandy, own and operate The Inn at Sacred Clay Farm in rural Lanesboro. Fred is also a senior partner in a small consulting firm providing advice and counsel to senior level leaders of large businesses and non-profits. His interest in serving on the Economic Development Authority Board is to encourage entrepreneurship and job creation in the Lanesboro area. He is currently project community coordinator of a grant from the Southern Minnesota Initiative Foundation which has resulted in the creation of www.lanesborolocal.com and the revitalization of the St. Mane Theatre.

Scott Strom is a principal owner and manager of Preston Specialties, Inc. of Lanesboro, where he has been employed since 1999. Prior to that Scott worked for the Mayo Clinic of Rochester, Minn. for two decades. Scott is a 1978 graduate of the Lanesboro School system. Scott’s interests are in maintaining Lanesboro as a healthy, vital, economically diverse community and in maintaining and expanding the businesses that have made Lanesboro the great community that it is.